Strangers help celebrate little girl's birthday after no-one showed up for her party

By Stephanie Coombes| 3 years ago

A Melbourne mother has had 40 strangers help celebrate her daughter's birthday, after her own friends failed to turn up for the nine-year-old's party.

Mother-of-two Candy Butchers, said her daughter Rhianna – who has high-functioning autism – doesn't have any school friends. Anticipating a small turnout, Candy invited her adult friends and their children so her daughter could enjoy a party.

But as the big day arrived, Candy, 26, started getting calls and texts from her guests.

"But the morning of the party, everybody cancelled, with excuses like their partner needed the car, or they were sick, I wished everybody well. But before I realised, every single person I had invited had cancelled," Candy told Kidspot.

Candy says she was brought to tears, and had no idea how to break the news to Rhianna.

"I was sitting outside bawling my eyes out, and she was sitting in her room, and I could hear her talking to herself, saying she has no friends, nobody likes her and nobody wants to be her friend," Candy said.

Heartbroken - and with nowhere else to turn - Candy went on Facebook to vent her frustrations.

Candy wrote she felt like "a failure as a mother" and lamented she didn't have any "true friends" on a Facebook group.

Hundreds of strangers were touched by the message, and many offered to come to the party.

Before long, Candy says around 40 adults and children were in her Mooroolbark home, celebrating with Rhianna.

"We had people lining our hallways, and there were kids all over the lounge room and parents in the backyard. Women brought food, wine, cake and their kids, it was just awesome," she said.

"Someone went to a jeweller and got Rhianna a ring, others gave money and cards. She had so much fun and was talking to all of the children."

While this particular story has a happy ending, Candy wants parents to think carefully before they pull out of birthday parties.

"It’s absolutely heart wrenching when no one turns up. It gives you goosebumps. The thought of your child being so excited for something and having people you have known your whole life not turn up is such a disappointment."